


Red-Eyed [HIATUS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE]

by TheIntellectualWeeb



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Coming of Age, Don't copy to another site, Kidnapping, M/M, Marriage Hunt, Poor Tobirama, Supernatural Elements, he's going to go through so much shit, slightly yandere madara, tribal au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-03-05 15:44:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18831700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheIntellectualWeeb/pseuds/TheIntellectualWeeb
Summary: Tumblr sort-of request. This was originally a prompt that I posted while I was tired, but people really loved it and I even got a few PMs asking me to write something for it. It was supposed to be a oneshot, but the planning got out of control so now it's multi-chapter *insert shrug here.* PERMANENT HIATUS AS OF NOW. The pairing just. Isn't something I'm excited to write about anymore





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> So I did a thing. I built a whole world for a single fic again. I'm so sleep deprived, I have no idea what's going on anymore. Writing MadaTobi? Me? What? Also, this isn't on an update schedule because my other fic takes priority (because it's already on a schedule and is going to be a beast in length), so this will only be updated as I get inspiration. But it should only take a few months to complete (unless it gets out of control) because I'm actually having a blast writing for this world^^

“The fearsome Queen of the Demons ruled the lands as far as the eye could see. She manipulated the people of our land, preying on our souls and draining the life from the earth for decades; until one fateful day when she suffered a crushing betrayal by her own sons. After witnessing first-hand, the cruelty of their mother against our people, they engaged her in battle on our behalf. It was arduous, but the two sons succeeded. They defeated the Demon Queen and began the purge of her armies from the face of our world. Until one day, they disappeared!” The elderly shaman’s voice warbled over the crackling of the bonfire he stood in front of as he continued the story passed down verbatim for centuries.

“Blood was spilled for generations in attempt to push back the enraged onslaught of the Demon Queen’s armies. It was a losing war for us without our saviors to help us. But our ancestors held out, managing to manipulate their forces into a gridlock during one extensive, pivotal battle. It raged for months and spanned across more than three hundred kilometers of the Forest. Desperate for the edge over us, the conniving Demons plotted to seduce our own brethren.” Several of the children sitting wide-eyed in front of him gasped and leaned in to hear more.

“And,” the old man whispered, the glow of the fire illuminating his eyes as shadows danced across the creases on his face, “they succeeded. Our people divided, attacking each other. Brother spilled the blood of brother; parent spilled the blood of child. Morale was crushed and we were beaten back, hopeless against the increase of our enemy’s ranks. Now, amidst the chaos and anguish, a young man lost his beloved only brother to the curse and the two of them fought. His cursed brother won their battle with the strength the Demons gifted him with. But as he went in for the kill, his sanity returned just enough to recognize his little brother. Pitying the younger’s weakness, he spared him, and fled into the Forest; only to return days later with a vengeance, and at the forefront of the Accursed souls’ forces.” The old man gestured wildly as if to act out the tragedy.

“Distraught at the sight of his elder brother so deeply bastardized by the Demon curse, the younger brother rose up from the bodies of his family on the battlefield. He prayed, begging the saviors of our people to give him the strength to save his brother. Against all odds, he was heard! Feeling pity for him, one of the Demon Queen’s sons returned, bestowing on him the profound ability to tame the wild Forest: the very place he engaged his beloved brother in battle!”

A white-haired boy around the age of ten felt his little brother grip his hand tightly. His red eyes flicked down to the caramel-haired boy sitting to his left before looking to his elder brother on his right. His elder brother held the youngest of their brothers, Itama, in his lap as he made eye contact with the first boy and smiled.

“This is absurd, Hashirama.” The red-eyed boy grimaced as he addressed his dark-haired brother, “Why do we have to be here, we’ve heard this a hundred times.” The other two boys were as enraptured by the elder’s tale as the children surrounding them.

Hashirama snickered at his younger brother. “Maybe so Tobirama, but at least it’s amusing. It’s the tale of Asura: the First Keeper of the Forest.”

The brother gripping Tobirama’s left hand, Kawarama, shushed them and whispered, “Hashi, Tobi! Quiet! You’re distracting!”

The boys conceded and turned back to the shaman as the tale wrapped up. “A mere three centuries ago, the Accursed disappeared, withdrawing deep into the Forest without any warning. Many people believe them to have disappeared, but I assure you they have not! The Accursed armies still lurk deep within the Forest, their souls corrupting it little by little. They are recognizable by the darkness enshrouding them and turning their sclerae black. Their corneas are dyed a blood red from the flesh of our people they dine on! If you are ever to come across one of them, you must escape! Run! As fast as you can! If you can make it out of the Forest, they will not follow you.” The old man had a fervent glint in his eyes as he seemed to plead with the children.

Tobirama rolled his eyes and turned his attention past Kawarama and to the Forest beyond the edge of their settlement. Tobirama fancied himself to be a scholar and wouldn’t buy into the stories of Demon Queens and Accursed beings so easily.

It was just a bunch of trees and animals out there. He would know, he and his brothers ditched the settlement to explore there regularly!

The corners of his lips turned up in a small smirk. They were planning on doing it again tomorrow while everyone was still sleeping off tonight’s festivities.

* * *

 

The next morning, Tobirama found himself deep in the Forest. He smirked as he heard the giggles erupt from Itama as they sprinted further in, running from Hashirama as the eldest sprinted in another direction after Kawarama.

“Quick!” Itama whispered, “We have to hide while he’s distracted!”

Tobirama smiled genuinely at his little brother, nodding in agreement. “You hide around here; I’ll head that way.” He pointed in a random direction.

Itama nodded, beginning his search for a good hiding spot. Satisfied, Tobirama sprinted off again, heading deeper into the Forest until the trees began to thicken and grow taller. His breath was heavy as he eventually felt like he was far enough and nestled himself into roots at the base of an enormous tree. The canopy far above his head blocked most of the sunlight, the shadows hiding him well.

Tobirama focused on controlling his breathing, waiting for his brothers to find him as he rested in the roots. Seconds stretched into minutes until he felt he had been sitting there for nearly an hour when he heard a squeal of laughter echo through the trees. He smiled to himself. Itama had been found. Now all three of his brothers would be after him.

He chuckled under his breath as he peeked around the tree; he could hear his brothers laugh as they fumbled through the underbrush.

That’s when he noticed something dark flicker in the corner of his sight. He whipped his head forward again, his red eyes trained onto the trees in front of him. He squinted, studying the shadows for any movement.

There! One of the shadows flickered again, further away this time. _What the hell is that,_ he thought, _and why didn’t I feel its proximity?_ Tobirama had yet to encounter any animals like that, let alone one that quick. He glanced in the direction of his brothers as he bit his lip, his attention still on the shadows in front of him as he debated. Another subtle flicker and the distance between them doubled.

He darted after it without another thought.

He sprinted, the shadows darkening around him as the trees packed closer and closer together until he had to leap across their entwined roots. As the white-haired boy deftly gained on the moving shadow; it managed to keep just enough distance, move in _just the right way_ through the shadows so he couldn’t quite make out what it was.

It began to weave in and out of the trees, darting in different directions randomly. Tobirama suddenly got the distinct impression it was mocking him. He growled as he launched himself faster, springing after it and making short work of the distance between them. The thing flickered again, ducking into a cluster of roots.

Coming to a hard stop a few meters from the roots it was hiding in, Tobirama heaved for breath and massaged the light twinge in his knees. After a few seconds, he crept closer, lightly bouncing onto the knot of roots.

“I’ve got you now,” he mumbled, crouching down to get a better look into the shadows. He could hear its quiet deep breaths as he leaned in closer, propping his weight on his pale, dirty hand. He could just make out a tuft of wild black fur on something that was about the same size as himself. _Wait…_ He hesitated a moment and squinted. Was that cloth?

The air around him chilled causing the sweat trickling down his back to make him shiver; his heart tripped over itself as the shadows seemed to grow, swallowing and suffocating him. The thing in the roots shifted, turning slightly and glowing red eyed met his own without flinching.

Fear gripped Tobirama at the sight of those eyes. Those red eyes with black sclerae that seemed to glow, even in the darkness. The most primal part of him reared its ugly head and he stumbled back, floundering over the roots. His mind blanked with terror, his instincts screaming and thrashing inside of him to _run._ His shoulder slammed in a tree as he scrambled back and his muscles twitched from the sudden dose of adrenaline. As fast as he could, he jumped up and pushed himself back down the path faster than he had first traveled it.

He could hardly see in the darkness of the Forest, hardly _breathe,_ his primitive fear telling him that he was being chased, that he couldn’t stop, and that he _had to run faster._

The terrified boy sprinted, pushing himself to run faster the further he ran from those eyes. He hardly noticed when the Forest around him lightened, the trees not as tall and further apart. He burst through the underbrush and slammed into something soft, sending them both tumbling to the ground. Tobirama lashed out, his fist digging under a ribcage as a strangled cry of panic finally escaped him.

“T-Tobirama!” Hashirama’s voice startled him out of his state just enough for him to be flipped over and pinned to the ground. He struggled, still in a state of half panic as his brother pressed his pale, sweaty face into the dirt and continued calm him further.

None of the words registered in Tobirama’s head, but the relief of hearing his brother’s soothing voice overwhelmed him. He choked on a sob and tears burned behind his red eyes as he squeezed them shut. He laid there trembling as his muscles cried out from overuse. He felt his brother flip him over gently and he cracked his eyes open, glossy from unshed tears. He had never been so happy to see the sky through the canopy behind his brother.

Hashirama pulled his white-haired brother into a seated position and squeezed him in a hug before holding him at arm’s length to inspect. Kawarama and Itama stumbled through the underbrush, falling onto their knees by their elder brothers with worried looks on their faces.

“What _happened_ to you, Tobi?” Itama was the first to speak, his voice laced with barely concealed horror.

“Wh-what?”

“He’s right, Brother.” Kawarama reached out and pressed a finger to Tobirama’s shoulder, making him wince and flinch closer to Hashirama on his other side. His breath was still erratic, though his heart had slowed marginally.

Hashirama snapped his fingers to get Tobirama’s attention again. “Seriously Little Brother, what happened? You’ve been missing all day! And you’re a mess! You’re all cut up from the thorns in the bushes and your clothes are shredded.”

Tobirama looked startled at the information, glancing up at the sky again before assessing his clothes. “No way,” he whispered. It was evening and he was more a mess than he had ever been, thin trails of blood crisscrossing his skin everywhere he could see. Impossible, he wasn’t gone that long! Was he? He could swear it was only thirty minutes or so after he left his hiding spot, making around an hour and a half since he last saw Itama! It should still be late morning!

There was something strange with the Forest. Something that messed with his mind. He shook his head. No, there was nothing wrong with the Forest, it was just _a forest._ He breathed deeply, his stern red eyes meeting Hashirama’s worried dark brown as he answered their questions.

“Nothing. Nothing happened. I got lost.”

Hashirama was skeptical. “You’re admitting to getting lost? You don’t admit to stuff like that…”

Tobirama scowled, pushing him away and standing without help as his brothers giggled. “Come on. I want a bath.” His muscles had stiffened a bit from the lack of cooling down properly after all the running he had done.

“Seriously though.” Kawarama frowned again. “We were about to go back and get help to find you.”

His brothers stood up around him and they began making their way back to their settlement, as they all began talking casually.

As they passed the edge of the trees, Tobirama slowed, falling behind his brothers as he glanced back at the Forest. He pointedly ignored Hashirama’s worried glances.

Nothing. There were no flickering shadows, no strange movement, nothing out of place in the trees.

Of course there weren’t. Because the stories told last night weren’t real. His mind just played tricks on him after hearing the tale. He shook his head. The Accursed weren’t real. They weren’t real yesterday, they aren’t real today, and they wouldn’t be real tomorrow.

* * *

 

As Tobirama reunited with his brothers, a porcelain hand slowly reached out from the tangle of roots deep in the dark parts of the Forest. Ever so slowly, a boy with wild black hair pulled himself up to sit on them. The boy wasn’t much older than Tobirama and was dressed from his toes to his jaw in dark robes, the only skin showing was his face and hands. Strings of feathers, animal teeth, and small bones draped around his neck and around his waist; a single serrated blade rested in a sheath on his hip. He fiddled with the falcon skull on one of his necklaces as he quietly stared in the direction the white-haired boy had ran.

A few minutes later, another boy dropped from the higher branches of the trees and landed silently next to the one sitting on the roots. He had long black hair and was dressed in a similar fashion as the first boy. He looked at the slightly older boy’s profile before looking in the direction the Invader that aggressively chased his brother had ran. “You should have killed him,” he whispered, his words hanging in the shadows between them.

The older boy shook his head slowly. “He was red-eyed.”

The younger boy did a double take before scoffing. “Impossible. Only our people are the Blessed.” He wasn’t sure if he was more taken aback by his elder brother’s words or the soft tone they were spoken in.

“He did. I saw them.”

“Then you should get your eyes checked by the healers.” The younger boy’s voice was crisp in the still air of the Forest. “Whatever, let’s just go before Father sends someone after us.”

The older boy hummed as he followed his younger brother deeper into the Forest, his mind still on the beautiful Invader’s eyes. He wasn’t crazy, nor blind. His lips curled into a smirk as he made up his mind. He saw the Invader first, so he had dibs _._ He would find the other boy again.

And the next time their paths crossed he would _take_ what was his.


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hashirama has a bad feeling and Tobirama t-poses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops. I completely fucking forgot to post this like three whole weeks ago when I finished editing it. Sorry. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> OH! And for reasons that will be explained later, Tobirama does NOT yet have the red marks on his face or the fluffy neck scarf or whatever tf that is he wears with his armor.

_Darkness. And flashes of red. Eyes in the dark._

The white-haired male gasped awake, sweat matting the hair to his brow. He stared wide-eyed at the familiar grain of the heavy wooden door across the room from his bed. His heart calming, he growled as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. What had he been dreaming? He searched his memories, unable to figure out what his vivid dreams had been about. He inhaled deeply, sighing as he glanced out the window to his right. He squinted as the pastel colors of dawn streamed through the window, the breeze swirling through his thin curtains and causing the pattern of the sun to dance across his naked form as he sat in bed.

Senju Tobirama shook his head as he rose for the day, making his bed. He straightened the blankets and smoothed the pillow free of wrinkles. Tomorrow was the big day. His twentieth birthday. Which meant tonight would be his “coming of age” and if he succeeded, his people would feast for a week in celebration. He could finally, finally join the ranks of the Hunters. He readied himself for the day, grooming and dressing in simple beige clothes, before a knock sounded at the door. The quick five-beat rhythm was unmistakable and Tobirama could feel the excitement permeating the room from the person on the other side of the door. The strong and steady aura was unmistakably his elder brother, Hashirama.

Tobirama silently opened the door. It was indeed Hashirama who stood behind the door with a wide grin. The elder Senju was a tall man with long, dark hair and darker eyes. Hashirama was already a man and had attained the recognition when he was a mere twelve years old. He was immediately granted adulthood and entrance into the ranks of the Keepers after manifesting the ability to manipulate the Forest. The ability was called Mokuton and was coveted by their people for how easy it made tending to the wilder areas of the Forest. Tobirama, unfortunately, did not inherit the Mokuton from their father and had to wait to complete the usual rite to adulthood upon aging precisely two decades. Because of taking the usual rite, he would not be able to follow into the same ranks as his brother. Instead, he was to be a Hunter. Hunters provided for their people and protected the Keepers as they tended to the Forest.

“You ready?” Hashirama looked just as excited, if not more so, than Tobirama felt. The first step into his future would start tonight. After the Blessing Ceremony, he would head into the Forest alone to hunt and bring back a giant stag to feed the clan, called a Cernunnos Deer. The enormous beasts were usually benign but were difficult to kill because of their thick pelts that protected them from not only predators, but common blades as well. They could also devastate entire settlements if they were provoked. But Tobirama was confident in his abilities. He would track down one of the great stags, kill it, and return by dawn. No sweat.

Tobirama nodded to his brother and the two exited the grand house the younger male shared with their father. Hashirama had moved into his own house when he entered adulthood and both of their younger brothers had died mysteriously in the deeper parts of the Forest when they were young. Their bodies had been found, shredded in the shadows, by the search parties sent out to find them.

The two brothers strolled through their village throughout the day, preparing for Tobirama’s send-off in the evening that was drawing near. They picked up his weapons, a sharpened katana and several kunai. They hired the blacksmith’s adolescent assistant to drop the weapons off alongside the armor their father commissioned for Tobirama. After tonight, the blue armor, that complimented his brother’s red, would become customary attire for him. He couldn’t wait until it was as scuffed as Hashirama’s, from all the time the elder brother spent in the Forest. It was tradition to never repaint armor, only repair as needed, so the more scratched armor sets were only worn by the most experienced warriors. Each scuff had a story behind it.

Sometime in the mid-afternoon, the pair stopped to grab some grilled food and fresh bread from small stalls on the edge of town. They sat themselves under a tree on the edge of the Forest, where the trees were sparse.

After eating in silence, the two males sat peacefully as they basked in the afternoon sunlight piercing through the thin canopy. They sat until Hashirama began to fidget, Tobirama choosing to remain silent until the elder spilled his concerns.

“You’ll be careful, right?” He was staring off into the woods, the trees progressively thickening until they thwarted any prying eyes from the secrets held in their shadows.

Tobirama hummed, his attention on the last bread roll in his hands as he polished it off. Hashirama snapped his fingers, gaining the white-haired male’s attention. The younger hated it when his brother did that. “I mean it, Little Brother. There are dangerous things out there. And you haven’t been in the deeper parts of the Forest since that time you got lost when we were children.”

“I’m not scared, Brother. I am confident in my skills.”

“As you should be. You have the best sensory instincts of anyone I’ve ever met. But I still want you to say it. Say you’ll be careful, for me. Tell me you’ll place your life first, above your pride on the mission. That you’ll vacate the area if you feel an inkling of danger.”

“Is this about Itama? And Kawarama before him?” Hashirama froze at the mention of their deceased little brothers. So it was about their brothers’ deaths. Tobirama sighed. “I’m not going to die, Hashirama.”

“They said that too, you know. And by the time the search parties found them… And mere weeks apart?”

“Don’t tell me you actually believe the elders’ old stories. After thorough investigation, the council’s verdict was a wild animal. In both incidents.” Hashirama was silent again. They white-haired male scoffed. He couldn’t believe his brother bought into the senile shamans’ rubbish. “Brother, I know you were in the party that found Itama’s body. You were barely thirteen and it was your first time in the Forest as a Keeper. I get it and I empathize; they were my brothers as well. But you have to move on. Stop letting your fear of the unknown control you.”

“You weren’t there. You didn’t see how mangled… That was no wild animal. Nature hadn’t touched him, even days after perishing. There isn’t a wild animal we know of that would have, or could have, done that.”

“So it was a pack. Or a wild animal we don’t know of. There are vast areas that are uncharted. They could easily be home to something that wandered out and got him. Got them both.” Tobirama’s ruby colored eyes narrowed in irritation, his words clipped and his voice rising an octave as he continued. “Ghosts aren’t real. Demons aren’t real. The _Accursed_ aren’t real!”

Hashirama looked away, whispering a plead to his younger brother, “Please, Tobirama. Just humor me.”

Tobirama eyed him before obliging him with another sigh. “Fine. I promise you, Brother, I will be careful. I will survive.” The elder brother nodded, his shoulders relaxing marginally. The silence was strained as Tobirama finished the last bite of his bread. The two of them stood up and made their way back to their father’s house. Tobirama had to prepare for the Blessing Ceremony before setting off at sundown. It wouldn’t do for him to be late.

Upon arriving on the doorstep, before Tobirama entered, Hashirama gripped his shoulder. Turning back, Tobirama raised a thin eyebrow as the brunet released him. The elder brother fumbled for his words.

“I- Tobira, I… I’m sorry for being like that earlier. I’ve just got a bad feeling. It’s probably my own nerves. I’m worried, you know? I couldn’t bear to lose you too.”

The muscles around Tobirama’s eyes relaxed a fraction, giving him a softer look as he sighed. “Yes, Brother. I know.” He placed a hand on Hashirama’s shoulder. “I understand.”

“So… we’re good?”

Tobirama nodded once, a small smile uplifting the corners of his lips. Hashirama grinned and bid his little brother well as they parted for the next few hours. Tobirama breathed deeply before entering the house and being faced with several servants who were ready to scrub him down and dress him properly before escorting him to the shamans.

The servants wordlessly escorted him into the washroom where a hot bath was already drawn. After undressing, he allowed the servants to scrub him down with a bucketful of hot, soapy water. The rough sponges were coarse against his delicate alabaster skin, being scrubbed nearly raw. He frowned, hoping the redness would go away before he met with the shamans. They proceeded to wash his hair with something smelling of mint was well.

After that, Tobirama was left to soak in his tub. He was glad the water had partially cooled, and had herbs sprinkled in to help sooth his irritated skin. He slouched to his neck in the water, enjoying the peace for several minutes until the servants knocked again. Tobirama called them in and exited the tub, allowing them to pat him dry with towels. He wasn’t particularly enthused about them caring for him, but he knew it was required to ensure all the steps were followed pre-ritual. He was just glad they were servants he was familiar with; they had been caring for him since his mother passed giving birth to his youngest brother over a decade ago.

Once dry, Tobirama was given a comfortable robe to wear back to his room where he dressed. The servants had set out a comfortable dark-colored set of a tunic and a pair of trousers. The tunic was loose and fell to his upper thigh, cinched at the waist with a thick cloth belt, and the straight sleeves came to his forearms. His trousers were simple as well, hems cut at his calves. He sat quietly on a stool as the servants bandaged his legs from his ankles to his knees and slipped a pair of sandals onto his feet.

He remained sitting as all the servants left him alone in his room. Glancing out the window, he noticed it was an hour until sunset. Any minute now, Hashirama would arrive to escort him to the shamans. No sooner than the thought had crossed his mind, his elder brother knocked on his door. He opened the door, exiting with his brother. Sunset was fast approaching as they made their way through the village, the other residents beginning to congregate on the streets and lighting torches along their path.

The first half of Tobirama's ceremony was a blur as the shamans brought him inside, praying over him and smearing oils across various parts of his body. The incense burned his nose as one of the elders slowly made his way around the white-haired male in the tent. After that was completed, he was pushed out of the tent and to the forefront of the waiting townspeople. Here, he yet again stood as his brother and father, as well as several household servants, approached him, bearing various things for his trip.

Tobirama quietly held out his arms as his father, Butsuma, and Hashirama dressed him in his blue armor. They quickly fastened the various buckles and straps and made sure the set was securely in place.

Tobirama began to strap his various weapons to his person, flinching when his father’s hands roughly clasped his shoulders. He looked up into his father’s dark eyes as he nodded at Tobirama. Butsuma pulled out a scroll of a medium size, about the length and thickness of his own calf. It was for sealing the body of the stag to bring back to the village. He spoke, low enough that Tobirama could hear him but not the crowd of townspeople just a few paces away. “Make me proud, son.”

Tobirama froze. His father was never the affectionate type, but that was the closest he’d ever been to expressing love for any of his sons. A single, choppy nod from Tobirama as he strapped the scroll to his back and Butsuma stepped away, only for Hashirama to step forward. He handed Tobirama a satchel of supplies and a pouch of fresh water. Hashirama pulled his little brother into a tight hug and whispered for him to not forget his promise from earlier.

And that was the end. Tobirama set out for the Forest as the sun dipped below the horizon. He opted to ignore the urge to look back.

He didn't need to. Tobirama would see everyone again by morning. He was sure of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was originally going to go all the way to when he gets hunted/kidnapped, but it would have been like 6k+ words long. And that's just. A lot.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't have a beta reader, so this was only edited by me.
> 
> Comments and <3s are very much appreciated! Let me know what you think of this! :)


End file.
